Got Draft?

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coalloser
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Post by coalloser » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 6:16 am

My fellow coal burning friends - I need your advise

I think I identified my overall problem. I have very little draft in my basement. My stove never really operates in the 400-500 degree mark which is where I want it. I can open the ash door all the way....maybe get around 425 at most. When I close it, it will operate around 350 with all the bottom vents wide open

Is there anyway to create an artificial/alternative draft source, like a fan or something

 
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stoker-man
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Post by stoker-man » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 6:34 am


 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 7:26 am

have you measured the draft with a draft gauge? how do you know you have little draft? how tall is your chimney, inside, outside? metal ? brick?


 
coalloser
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Post by coalloser » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 8:21 am

no I haven't used a darft gauge. good idea...just have to get my hands on one

My chimney is about 30 feet from attachment to stove to above the roof. Its made out of brick with a clay insert

 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 8:38 am

coalloser wrote:My fellow coal burning friends - I need your advise

I think I identified my overall problem. I have very little draft in my basement. My stove never really operates in the 400-500 degree mark which is where I want it. I can open the ash door all the way....maybe get around 425 at most. When I close it, it will operate around 350 with all the bottom vents wide open

Is there anyway to create an artificial/alternative draft source, like a fan or something
Are you sure your stove is getting enough combustion air to burn? My daughter's basement was so tight she could barely get her stove hot too, until we opened the bulkhead doors & solved the problem. Try opening a window near the stove.
(her husband had sealed the basement casement windows tight. We unsealed one near the stove & permanently solved her problem)
Last edited by Devil505 on Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 8:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 8:56 am

Devil, that was going to be my other suggestion about getting air to it.

A 30foot chimney should give you plenty of draft, the draft inducers are normally used to get the the stoves going when cold, but once you start generating heat, the draft should start to increase as the heat rises.


 
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Devil505
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Post by Devil505 » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 9:01 am

WNY wrote:Devil, that was going to be my other suggestion about getting air to it.

A 30foot chimney should give you plenty of draft, the draft inducers are normally used to get the the stoves going when cold, but once you start generating heat, the draft should start to increase as the heat rises.
I was thinking the same thing. I have pretty poor draft in my chimney, but that only really becomes a factor in warm weather with a low temp fire. Once the stove starts cranking, the heat will increase the draft & the only other thing that could stop it would be no air to burn??

 
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Cap
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Post by Cap » Sun. Dec. 21, 2008 9:26 am

If you are using a barometric damper, foil it. Wrap alum foil over the opening and see if this helps.
But likely it more of a flue/chimney issue. That has to be your first area of concern. Send us specs on it.

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